Mar 25, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (00) signals against the Miami Heat during the first quarter at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
The frustration around a player’s lack of time in competition dates all the way back to youth sports. There are only so many athletes that can get a piece of the action, which leaves room for frustrated people on the bench. The motto for many has been, ‘If they aren’t playing, they should switch teams.’
That sentiment now hovers over Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga, who has shown flashes of success throughout his four-year tenure with the franchise, but is set to enter free agency this offseason. The 22-year-old is averaging 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists this season for a team that has been red-hot since trading for Jimmy Butler back in February. However, his role has diminished the blockbuster deal.
Since the Feb. 6 trade deadline, Golden State is 23-9 and ranks top 10 in offense, defense, and net rating. Butler has unlocked this team, taking away opponents to free up superstar Stephen Curry, while adding to a great group of ball-stoppers.
Unfortunately, Kuminga hasn’t been as big a part of that success as you’d hope. Up until the deadline, he was averaging 16.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 26 minutes per game. Since acquiring Butler, Kuminga’s playing time has slowly dwindled. Over his last seven games, he’s received just 17.9 minutes per game.
The noise grew to its loudest point during the Warriors’ thrilling loss to the Clippers on Sunday afternoon. In a game that saw Curry and Butler combine 66 points, Kuminga never saw the floor. Head coach Steve Kerr mentioned days before the game how tough it was to play him alongside Butler and Draymond Green.
“Every game is different and I think Jimmy’s arrival took away a lot of Jonathan’s minutes at the four,” Kerr said. “There’s no doubt that as soon as Jimmy arrived and we started winning, we leaned into the lineup combinations that enhanced Jimmy because we were winning and Jonathan was out for that whole stretch.
“But the lineup with Jimmy, Jonathan and Draymond doesn’t fit real well, frankly. It just doesn’t. We need more spacing. We’ve found other lineups that have clicked, and this is just part of the deal, being in the NBA, and you’ve got to adapt to whatever’s happening with the team.”
This is where the Brooklyn Nets come in.
The Nets are now finding a sense of direction with the early pieces of a young core in place, plus a war chest of draft picks. Brooklyn has four first-round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft alone, and the focus now shifts to allocating youth to give opportunities for development.
‘Opportunity.’ That’s something that a player like Kuminga could use when everyone sees how great he can be. The Warriors are paying Curry, Butler, and Green an estimated $137.8 million next season, which makes it tough to re-sign the 2021 draftee. While they can match any offer he receives in free agency, teams are expected to offer big deals for Kuminga considering his age, production, and Golden State’s salary cap situation.
Brooklyn is one of the teams expected to engage in talks with Kuminga, dating back to the start of the season. After he and the Warriors failed to reach a contract extension before the Oct. 21 deadline, rumors swirled on how he could find a bigger contract and role elsewhere. If the Nets land Kuminga, he would immediately become one of the faces of an up-and-coming team with pieces for the future.
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